I still remember the day I asked my mother why the necklace everyone wears changes temperatures. It was warmer today. The necklace. She sat down, and held my hand, tightly like she does when she's about to give me her "words of wisdom."
"This necklace was given to you at your birth. It is half of a unique shape, and your soulmate wears the other half."
She had tears in her eyes, but I let her go on. "They change temperatures because the closer you get to your soulmate it gets warmer, but the further you get away from them it gets colder. So when you're ready you go on this journey when you're ready to find them. Because not too long ago, we had to find our soulmate on our own. And we never for sure knew who they were if we found them. These we made so you wouldn't have to experience the heartbreak and never knowing who you are destined to be with."
After she finished I asked her if she ever found her soulmate, a tear dribbled down her cheek. "I don't know baby," Then she started going on and on about my father, who died before I was born. He seems like a good person from all the stuff Mom says about him. I can tell she misses him a lot.
I had asked her about the necklace when I was about 10. Six years later, I found that some people are already finding their own soulmates. At 16. I wonder what fate has in store for them. I glanced at one particularly happy couple, they were cuddling on a bench. I grabbed at my necklace longing for that sense of being wanted, happiness. It's always been just me and mom. We moved around a lot, I didn't stay in one place for too long. Because of that I've never had many friends before. But I'm okay being alone, I have music and my drawings. And that's all I need.
It was the first day of my sophmore year, and I had gone through more schools than you could imagine. The moment I walked on the bus, I realized I was not going to fit in here. It was Holister and American Eagle as far as the eye could see. And then there was me. Black skinny jeans. An Asking Alexandria shirt. Red Converse. And heavy black eye makeup. Or maybe it was because my hair was as red as my shoes. I wasn't shocked when everyone stared. I mean, scary looking new girl. I don't blame them actually. It felt kind of nice to be the center of attention, at least that's what I keep telling myself.
There was an empty seat close to the back. I plopped down there and turned on my IPod to "Anywhere But Here" by Mayday Parade. Seemed to fit the moment. I felt the tension rising, all eyes were on me. I did what I would normaly do: Sit there with my headphones blaring, knowing that everyone within a 5 foot radius could hear it. I grinned as a girl, dressed in a cheer outfit sporting a pink hair ribbon gawfed at me in disbelief. Not much happened until my fingertip glided across my necklace, it was getting warmer. Quickly. I shook it off, and listened to Danny Worsnop screaming me a ballad.
I walked into home room and got more stares. I picked a seat in the back next to a guy who was obviously stoned out of his mind. You know in those movies where there's a new student and they have to stand at the front of the room while the teacher goes on and on about something? Trust me, it doesn't just happen in cheesy movies. As I was standing up there, with the teacher announced that there was a new student, and I heard him turn around and then that awful sound of chalk to a board. I turned and saw "Harley Quinn" in big letters (yes I was named after a Batman villan). I started to walk back to my seat when I heard the door open, I turned and saw the most beautiful eyes staring back at me. They gleamed a brillant blue. I practicaly ran to my seat. The rest of the day was just whispers, stares, and people not liking what they see.
But when lunch came around I picked a deserted table next to the window. I started to quietly eat my food, then I heard my name through the chatter of the lunch room more than once. I got tired of it and jammed my headphones into my ears. A Day to Remember makes every situation feel better. I was about finished with my food when the boy from home room (blue eyes) sat right next to me. I looked over and saw that the rest of him was just as beautiful as his eyes. My heart started beating and I was tensing up, but I managed to say hello. He smiled and said something that I couldn't understand. I was too lost in his eyes to even acknowledge anybody else but us, in that moment. Forever.
I realized he was staring, waiting for a reply. I stuttered ".. wh..what?"
"May I take your tray?" He repeated with a smile that made my heart flutter and a British accent tat could kill me with the right words. I chuckled awkwardly then went to get up, but in the process I spilled what was left of my food all over him. I stood there, terrified beyond belief. He smiled and said that it was fine, but I could have just said no. I apoligized many times and handed him a wad of napkins. That was probably the most embarassing moment in my life. What, no. It was having to see him in all of my classes besides one. He was assigned next to me in more than one class.
